Lest We Forget

Hubby attended the ANZAC Day dawn service alone this morning but next year we'll be dragging both kids out of bed so we can all go. I love that even while our government worries that the stories and sacrifices of WWI will be forgotten, attendance at ANZAC Day services around the country continues to grow. I think it's really important that our kids know what is ANZAC Day about and why we commemorate it. We should remember the original ANZACS and teach them about these brave men. Our kids had great-grandfathers and great-great uncles who fought in various campaigns and countries during World War II and we should teach them about what these brave men did and how their lives were changed forever by being involved in war. We shoud teach them so that they can be proud and so that when they grow up they will remember and they can help to change the world in other ways.

Of course we couldn't bake anything else today but Anzac Biscuits. There are a few different versions of how these biscuits came to be. My cookbook says, "these famous biscuits were developed at the time of the First World War and sent in food parcels to the ANZAC tropps (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). They are an economical, crisp, long-lasting biscuit made without eggs (which were in short supply at that time). The recipe is still popular, having been handed down through the generations."

This is slightly different to my regular version but just as delicious - maybe even a little better!





ANZAC Biscuits
The Essential Baking Cookbook

1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
125g unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup golden syrup
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180˚C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the sugar, oats and coconut and make a well in the centre.
3. Put the butter and golden syrup together in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and add immediately to the butter mixture. It will foam up instantly. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
4. Drop level tablespoons of mixture onto the trays allowing room for spreading. Gently flatten each biscuit with your fingertips (I used the back of a fork instead!). Bake for 20 minutes, or until just browned, leave on the tray to cool slightly. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

If you pull them out of the oven when they are just done the edges will crisp up beautifully leaving the inside lovely and chewy – yum.

PS I have spent more than 30 minutes trying to link to a site that explains ANZAC Day but am having no luck. I will try again later.

Update: still no luck posting the link but if you cut and paste this URL http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/anzac_tradition.htm it will take you to the Australian War Memorial site that explain it all.